Take Your Happiness Into Your Own Hands

Here's how I changed my entire existence in one day and with one thought: I decided and chose to be happy. Please don't read this or write this off as being sappy. I am absolutely 100% serious about how easy it can be to choose happiness if you're willing to give it a try.

There are a lot of books out on this topic right now. Yet, I have never read any of them. "Why would I need that?" I thought that to myself on numerous occasions. But I noticed I was often moody, sometimes happy, and sometimes, far from it. I saw that my state of mind was often based on what was happening or not happening in my daily life. And then my moment of truth came.

I remembered I used to be happy most of the time. It was a rather startling insight, but nonetheless true. I used to laugh a lot. I was naturally optimistic; I saw the glass as half full, and years ago, people would always tell me I was one of the happiest people they knew.

Sound familiar? If you've felt grumpy, edgy, or confused lately, maybe it's time to make new choices and changes in your life to be happier. Take a moment and re-evaluate the areas of your life where you can use a boost of happiness: love life, career, home life, social life. Remember how it wasn't always like this.

Recalling moments where your soul was happiest can be enlightening when you don't use it against yourself. Don't build a case, judge or make yourself feel wrong. Use it to make a deliberate choice that will make your life better; it's a great idea.

I created a daily practice of being happy every day for as long as possible by noticing things I could appreciate. And with that one little thought and one little choice, my life changed. Today, I didn't mind standing in line to board Southwest Airlines, because I looked for something that made me happy. Seeing a few kids playing on the floor brought a smile instantly to my face.